Article

How Child Labour Affects Economic Growth

Child Labour is an offence forced upon children where they are denied of friends, education, leisure and all that are positive in life. There are many children who are forced to work in hazardous environments and do illegal work. It is a hindrance for the child’s health, education and progress.

The World Day Against Child Labour was launched in 2002 by the International Labour Organization to raise awareness for preventing child labour. It is held every year on June 12 as a proclamation to the world to stop child labour. This day raises awareness about the evils and negative impacts of the same.

The focus of the 2016 World Day Against Child Labour is on child labour and supply chains. With the impact of globalisation, supply chains have become complex and many a times children are employed in the production of goods and services for export. In most of the cases employers prefer children as they would work for a longer time, for a meagre income and almost without any complaint.

World Day Against Child Labour proclaims all enterprises to ensure their supply chains are free from child labour or face the risk of having their reputations ruined. It is estimated that 168 million children between the ages of five and 17 are child labourers. Many of them are drop-outs or have never attended school.

Poverty and hunger are the major causes for child labour. When parents are not able to afford a square meal the children are ready to work for a meagre income. So, for survival, children prefer working than going to schools. Thus they are forced to labour without their knowledge. Severe work with no proper food and leisure makes them malnourished, damaging their physical and mental health. They will be condemned to a life of poverty, illiteracy, and penury. Unfortunately, India has one of the largest populations of child labourers.

Child labour affects the economic growth of the country as well as its socio-economic development. Today’s children are tomorrow’s administrators. It would be quite difficult for a country to prosper when its children end up as labourers. The prosperity of a country is directly proportional to the progress of educated individuals. The key to progress lies in education. If education is hampered progress will be at bay.

Understanding the link between hunger, education and economic growth, Akshaya Patra serves free nutritious mid-day meals to children attracting them to school. The organisation takes the role of a catalyst providing food which is an incentive to support their education

Let us join hands against this social injustice of child labour. Let us bring back children to school by help Akshaya Patra serve unlimited food for education and stop child labour. If hunger is satisfied, children will remain in classrooms. It is our duty to see to it that no child is left behind without education.

It takes Rs. 750 to feed a child for a year! Every donation of Rs. 500 or above made to Akshaya Patra is eligible for 100% tax exemption under section 35 AC or 50% tax exemption under Section 80 G of the Indian Income Tax. Let us help serve children to end class room hunger.